Ewura Adwoa, a Ghanaian woman who recently returned from the United Kingdom, opened up in an interview with DJ Nyaami on SVTV Africa’s Daily Hustle GH about the harsh realities she faced while trying to start a new life abroad.
Originally a preschool teacher in Ghana, Ewura moved to the UK in hopes of restarting her life. However, the agent who facilitated her travel presented her as a doctor on official documents, securing her a Certificate of Sponsorship (COS) to work in an NHS hospital.
“I wasn’t a doctor, but my documents said otherwise,” she said. “When I got there, I realized everything was based on lies. I had to do domiciliary care instead, and even then, I wasn’t being paid—especially by Nigerian-run agencies. They just wanted to exploit me.”
Ewura revealed that aside from unpaid labor, she endured disturbing levels of harassment. “Because I was stranded and vulnerable, some managers and even lawyers tried to sleep with me before offering help. It was humiliating. Almost every black person I worked with expected sexual favors before assisting.”
She emphasized the emotional toll, stating, “I’ve only ever been with my boyfriend in Ghana. But living in shared housing with strangers, especially as a 29-year-old woman, made life unbearable. If you’re planning to relocate, you need to be emotionally and mentally strong.”
In July 2024, after struggling for months, she voluntarily returned to Ghana while her UK share code and e-visa were still valid. However, upon trying to re-enter the UK months later, she was detained. “I used to travel for holidays and rent Airbnbs, but this time I went to live—and everything changed. I tried to use my share code to get a new sponsor, but immigration found it had been canceled. I was detained and deported.”
She described her experience at the detention center as horrible, citing poor treatment and racism. “Even when I had a mild stroke and could barely stand, I waited almost two hours at the hospital without help. It was only my uncle who came through. The NHS was understaffed and couldn’t manage the workload.”
Despite all this, Ewura said she still liked the UK but believes it’s been overhyped. “The way people glorify the UK isn’t the reality. Yes, they have better systems and resources, but the human aspect is broken. In many ways, Ghana’s healthcare isn’t that different. The only advantage there is that if you work hard, you earn and can save.”
She paid over £8,000 for her Certificate of Sponsorship and spent nearly £10,000 including travel costs, but never recouped her investment. “If you get a British partner and secure your stay, life can be better. But don’t go with a dependent—if you get deported, they’ll be deported too.”
Ewura concluded with this advice: “If you don’t have a university degree or even a high school certificate, there are still short courses in the UK you can take to make a decent living. But go with the truth—not fake documents or lies. That’s the only way to succeed.”
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